News / Local
Deported Joyous Celebration member, immigration clears air
17 Jul 2014 at 06:59hrs | Views
THE Department of Immigration says Sphumelele Mbambo - a member of South African gospel outfit Joyous Celebration Choir - was refused entry into Zimbabwe last week because she did not have a work permit.
Mbambo was a noticeable absentee at the Sithi Uyingcwele gospel concert organised by Sabela Music at the Large City Hall in Bulawayo last week Saturday.
She was headlined to perform alongside Mkhululi Bhebhe and Eric Moyo as a way to promote Vocal Ex - a little known 24-member gospel group from the city.
Assistant regional immigration officer in charge of compliance Francis Mabika said Mbambo was turned away at Joshua Nkomo International Airport by immigration officers last Thursday afternoon after they discovered that she did not possess a work permit.
"She wanted to perform in Zimbabwe but did not have the authority to do so as she did not have a work permit. She was therefore refused entry at the airport last week," he said.
Mabika said his department did not receive any application from Mbambo or any promoter for her work permit to perform on Saturday.
"The work permit is either applied for by the promoter on behalf of the artiste or by the artiste themselves. However, in this case, we did not receive any communication from both parties about the issue," he said.
According to Zimbabwe's immigration laws, a promoter intending to bring a foreign artiste has to pay $500 in order to secure a work permit.
National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) said Sabela Music did not hold a promoter's licence hence they were not allowed to bring any foreign artiste.
"We did not receive any correspondence from anyone who wanted to bring a foreign artiste. Sabela Arts is an arts organisation that does not possess a promoter's licence," said Charity Nyathi, the NACZ Bulawayo provincial arts manager.
She said as long as her organisation did not clear a show, other organs of the government would not do so too.
"When the promoter comes with their papers for us to clear a show, we give them two forms when we clear them. One goes to the department of immigration and the other to the censorship board," said Nyathi.
Efforts to get a comment from Sabela Music director Saimon Mambazo were fruitless as his mobile phone went unanswered.
Mbambo's deportation follows that of another popular South African musician Freddy Gwala who was sent back to his country last year because he did not have the necessary work permit to perform in Bulawayo.
Another group, Freshlyground, were also refused entry into the country this year and missed their performance at the Harare International Festival of the Arts.
Mbambo was a noticeable absentee at the Sithi Uyingcwele gospel concert organised by Sabela Music at the Large City Hall in Bulawayo last week Saturday.
She was headlined to perform alongside Mkhululi Bhebhe and Eric Moyo as a way to promote Vocal Ex - a little known 24-member gospel group from the city.
Assistant regional immigration officer in charge of compliance Francis Mabika said Mbambo was turned away at Joshua Nkomo International Airport by immigration officers last Thursday afternoon after they discovered that she did not possess a work permit.
"She wanted to perform in Zimbabwe but did not have the authority to do so as she did not have a work permit. She was therefore refused entry at the airport last week," he said.
Mabika said his department did not receive any application from Mbambo or any promoter for her work permit to perform on Saturday.
"The work permit is either applied for by the promoter on behalf of the artiste or by the artiste themselves. However, in this case, we did not receive any communication from both parties about the issue," he said.
National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) said Sabela Music did not hold a promoter's licence hence they were not allowed to bring any foreign artiste.
"We did not receive any correspondence from anyone who wanted to bring a foreign artiste. Sabela Arts is an arts organisation that does not possess a promoter's licence," said Charity Nyathi, the NACZ Bulawayo provincial arts manager.
She said as long as her organisation did not clear a show, other organs of the government would not do so too.
"When the promoter comes with their papers for us to clear a show, we give them two forms when we clear them. One goes to the department of immigration and the other to the censorship board," said Nyathi.
Efforts to get a comment from Sabela Music director Saimon Mambazo were fruitless as his mobile phone went unanswered.
Mbambo's deportation follows that of another popular South African musician Freddy Gwala who was sent back to his country last year because he did not have the necessary work permit to perform in Bulawayo.
Another group, Freshlyground, were also refused entry into the country this year and missed their performance at the Harare International Festival of the Arts.
Source - chronicle
